Pioneers of Esperanto in Aberdeen

As we begin to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Esperanto, it is useful to take a look at the early years of the language in Britain. Esperanto was first published in 1887, of course. Its first adepts lived in the then Russian Empire, but it began to gain adherents in Great Britain from about 1900 onwards.

The names and addresses of early speakers of Esperanto in Aberdeen, with their registration numbers are as follows in the Adresaro de Esperantistoj (collection of addresses of Esperantists) of January 1904 to January 1905 (Series XXV). With the exception of the first named, all of the following are listed in Aberdeen, Anglujo, i.e. England! (Addresses elsewhere in Scotland are correctly assigned to "Skotlando"). The number given is a unique one for each individual. Indeed, early users of the language frequently signed articles with that number alone, knowing that anyone wanting to contact them could easily find their address in the Adresaro.

According to the inside cover (p.ii) of The British Esperantist magazine for January 1905, an Esperanto Society in Aberdeen had been founded in October 1904. Its Secretary is given as Mr Donaldson S. Rose of 259 Union Street, Aberdeen, and the President is listed as A. Christen Esq.

In the list of affiliated groups in 1907 (see The British Esperantist, vol. III, title page) Aberdeen is not listed, either because it had ceased to meet or because it had chosen not to affiliate to the British Esperanto Association. Only in January 1919 does an affiliated Esperanto group appear again in the The British Esperantist for that month. The secretary in that year was Miss Annie, L. Burgess, c/o Mrs Christopher, 30 Mid-Stocket Road. The meeting venue is given as Training Centre, Charlotte Street. The group met on a Friday fortnightly at 8 pm. In 1921 the secretary is given as Miss M. Campbell, 34a Skene Square. In 1923 the Secretary is given as Miss M.D. Thomson, 6 Orchard Lane.

The number of Esperanto speakers registered in Aberdeen is disproportionately large compared to Edinburgh and Glasgow. Can anyone account for this sudden outbreak of internationalism in Aberdeen?

One wonders what happened to Esperanto in Aberdeen after 1923. Did the group continue to meet? Are there minute books in existence? Did any of these enthusiasts have an opportunity to speak Esperanto with people of other nations?